Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-02-19
LINCOLN's BIRTHDAY.

Nearly Three Hundred Of the Most Promi-
mont Republicans Present-The Toasts
| and the R~eponses-Letter of Regret from
Hon. James G. Blaine
NEW YORK, February 1.-THE first an
nual dinner of the Republican Club of New
York, on the anniversary of the birthday of
Abraham Lincoln, was held at Delmonico's
tonight with about 275, more or less, we'll
known republicans present, including Sena-
tors Hawley, Harrison, and Aldrich; Cover
nor Oglesby, of Illinois; Governor Foraker,
of Ohio; and Governor Lounsburry, of Con.
necticut; Sena or-elect Hiscock and Cover
nor Fostor, of Ohio.
| Mr.. Blaine had been expected to respond
| to the toast of Abraham Lincoln, but at the
last minute he sent letter of regret. The
speaking continued until a late hour. Gov
ernor Foraker, in the course of his response.
said of the republican party: '1ts call for
| troops was answered by the grandest army
that was ever marshalled on this, or any
other continent. It put more than million
men into the field and maintained them
there until in more than three hundred
| bloody battles of the republic they shot to
everlasting death the heresy of secession
and the infamy of rebellion. To carry on
this stupendous work it raised and ex-
pended more than 5000, O0O, COO, and
accounted for it all, to the last dollar,
with such scrupulous honesty and fidelity as
| to stamp its civil service as the most intelli-
gent, honest and capable that any govern
ment has ever enjoyed since civilization be-
| gan. It struck the shackles from the feet
It enacted homestead laws, endowed and
established agricultural college provided a
( sound financial system, provided q diversi-
| ty of employment, domestic commerce and
| unexam pied prosperity for the whole coun-
try by he adoption and maintenance of
that wise and patriotic policy of protecting
American industries and American labor.
wealth was but $4,000, 100000. When we
vent out of power it was nearly $50, 00O, 0OO,-
| 600. In 1860 our government was regarded
everywhere as only an experiment. in 1884 it
was regarded everywhere as the freest and
strongest ever established by mai. In 1860
| we were nation of sections, at fatal war
with each other as to certain questions of q
radical and vital character.
But when the republican party went
out of power every such question had been
settled, and it is only the simple truth to
say that it has gained the confidence of the
country only to the extent that it has dis
owned democracy and has adopted republi-
canism; and thus it is in the hour of its defeat
that the republican party has won another
splendid victory by the enforced approbaE
ton and adoption of it's work at the hands
OF it's enemy. The speaker asserted that the
party, however, had not finished its. work
and continued: "Geat problems concern
the American people. What shall be the
solution of the labor question, of the liquor
question, of the silver question. of the
Canadian fisheries question and of the all
Important question of reform in our NUM-
icipal government? The republican party
must answer. Let it answer in the future
as ever in the past"
Hon. James g. Blaine, in his letter of re-
greet, after referring to the anniversary and
payi tribute to Washington and Lincoln
as the two immortal names in American his
tory, says: "Your club meetsto do honor to
Mr.. Lincoln as republican. It was the re-
publ ,an party that gave Mr.. Lincoln to the
nation, acd sustained him step by step
throughout his extraordinary career. Acele-
bration of Mr.. Lncoln's name is q celebra-
ton of the republican party. To that party
he was sincerely attached, to its principles
he was entirely devoted, and in its success
he found the victorious issue of the great
policy of which he was himself the personal
exponent. The republican party makes no
attempt to narrow the possession of a fame
that is recognized on all continents, and
that will last through all centuries; that be-
ongs to humanity. But the political organ
cation which supported Mr.. Lincoln has the
right to claim the prestige of his name as
it continues to labor in the great field where
he wrought, until the harvest or MS planting
shall be gathered"
Letters of regret we're also read from
Generals Sherman and Sheridan, Robert
T. Lincoln, r. B. Hayes, Hannibal Hamlin
and Senators Evarts, Warner and Miller.
Senator Harrison, of Missouri, responded
to the toast, "Reform Within the Party"
It believed in pure men. That call that
brought them together was call to sacrifice,
not to spoil. Their primaries we're ogen and
free, and the party is always governed by
its primaries.
Governor Oglesby said: In 1888, if the
republican party put up candidate who
was irreproa. liable in character, all hell and
the democratic party combined couldn't de-
feat him. The leader of the republican
party in 1888 must be great enough and
broad enough to take in the whole 1000, 600
square miles of our territory. He must be
able to see more than one section of the
lanl. He advised the people of New York
and New England not to get excited over the
defenselees coasts. The people of Europe
were too much engaged in watching each
othe-
A COMPLETE FAILURE.
~ aHr~1.4 -